in the Orkney Islands, 423 



away. This spring (1831) he took three eaglets from the 

 nest of the golden eagle, and one of them was living at Strom- 

 ness when we were there. 



The Peregrine Falcon {Falco peregrmus Aldrov.). — These 

 are very sparingly dispersed through the different islands, and 

 resort to the most inaccessible rocks for the purpose of incuba- 

 tion ; and, wherever there is any considerable number of rock 

 birds, there you are sure to see a pair of these birds. We noticed 

 a pair at the Island of Copenshay, and another pair in the 

 Island of Hoy. We were not fortunate enough to procure 

 any of their eggs. A boy brought us three eggs, which were 

 perfectly round, marked with large red blotches, and rather 

 longer than those of the kestrel (Falco Zinnunculus Z/.). The 

 nest was taken from the crags, and was built of heather. We 

 at present do not know to what species to attribute them, never 

 having seen any like them before. 



The Raven {Qoi^mis Cor ax L.) is very plentiful through the 

 different islands. On the 9th of June, as we were leaving the 

 Bay of Kirkwall, for one of the other islands, we counted 

 twenty four of these birds, as they passed over our heads, 

 flying toward the North Isles ; they were very near to each 

 other, and followed in the same way as we should expect to 

 see rooks do in leaving their rookery. We again observed 

 them (supposed to be the same) on the 1 5th, in the evening, 

 flying towards the Island of Hoy, or the South Isles, and we 

 counted twenty-six. I believe this is rather an unusual occur- 

 rence, never before having seen more than a pair or two 

 together. We could not be mistaken, as the rook (Corvus 

 frugilegus L,) and crow (Corvus Corone L,) are never seen 

 upon those islands. 



The Hooded Crow {Corvus Cornix L.) we found in tolerable 

 plenty; not associating together in communities, but, like 

 the crow (Corvus Corone L,\ preferring to build their nests 

 separately. These are placed among the rocks, and upon 

 the sides of the deep chasms that are to be found upon the 

 sides of the hills; generally upon the ledge of a rock, among 

 the overhanging heather. The outside of the nest is com- 

 posed of withered heather, and large roots or stalks, and it is 

 lined with wool and hair. In one nest that we looked into, 

 we found three young ones, and they were almost in full 

 plumage, which had precisely the same colours as that of their 

 parents. The usual number of eggs that this species lays is 

 from four to five, and these are much lighter, and a trifle 

 larger, than those of the crow. 



The Starling {Sturnus vulgaris L.). — We observed this 

 perched upon every slight eminence, building its nest in the 



E E 4) 



